Chapter 3

The break bell had barely gone when the junior students started their favorite game of hide and seek. David was just about to rest his head on the desk when Essien yelled.

“Christ!” everyone stared at him “What’s wrong with these children? I’m trying to concentrate here”

“C’mon, leave the kids alone, all work and no play makes Essien a dull boy” replied Victor, the school’s sports prefect.55

A few people sniggered at Victor’s comment including Vivian which made Essien even more furious.

“Am I the only the prefect in this school?”He questioned “and Samantha will say that I'm leaving the whole work for her”

Essien reluctantly stood up and headed for the junior classes.

Immediately after the break period had expired, Samantha, the school’s head girl, a girl that had boyish looks alongside the School’s deputy head boy Samson came over to the science class.

“David” Samantha called in her light tone which was very contrary to her looks, “The principal wants to see you in his office right now”

David who was battling with Chioma and Judith over an equation Sir Bright had given them sat up.

“Why?” he asked

“Your dad dropped by”, Samson explained

“What?!!!”

The walk to the principal’s office seemed unending, David was deep in thoughts.

‘What was his stepdad doing in his school?’

‘What did he want?’

David couldn’t figure out a satisfying answer.

They got to the principal’s office, Samson knocked on the door.

“Come in”, said a voice from inside.

They walked in, the principal, Mr. Agbabowaye; a short pot-bellied man who would be in his mid-forties was seated in his swivel chair, while Oliver sat opposite, across his desk, his chin cupped in one hand while the other on the arm of his chair.

“Mr. Iroma”, the principal greeted David as he jostled through Samantha and her deputy towards the desk.

“Good morning sir”, he said replying the principal’s greeting then greeted Oliver.

“Good morning”, then added “Dad” as an afterthought.

The principal signaled the rest to leave, immediately the door was shut; Oliver stood up and walked towards David with his arms wide open.

“It’s been a while”, he said as he held David in an awkward embrace.

“Your mom and I have been worried sick”, he continued as he released David

“Where have you been?”

‘Where have I been?’ David thought, ‘What was this man’s case.

“I don’t understand”, David replied, trying as much as he could to shake Oliver’s hand off his left shoulder without making it obvious.

“She knows I have been Kel”

Oliver hissed, “That one?”

With this David hunched his shoulders making Oliver’s hand to slide down a little. Oliver however didn’t miss the gesture and took off his hand, his face still calm.

“I’ve told you, Dave, stay away from Kelechi, that boy will spoil you”

“Spoil me?!!” David replied, his voice rising.

“That is my brother and I’m old enough to tell when I’m being negatively influenced”.

Oliver stared at him for some seconds,

“You disappoint me”, he said

“You irritate me”, David replied angrily,

“What?!!” Oliver demanded; his eyebrows cocked at an odd angle.

“Iroma, that is rude and…..” the principal started to say but Oliver cut him off

“No allow him”, he said, “let him say what it is on his mind”

“What’s on my mind?” David chuckled

“Do you want to hear it?" He cried, the anger he had bottling up for the past few days was now bubbling to the surface

“You silly excuse for a husband, you treat my mom like scum and….”

WHAM!!!

Oliver slapped him hard across the cheek.

Mr. Agbabowaye stood up quickly and came around to hold Oliver,

WHAM!!!

Another slap landed on David, as he cowered against the wall, and another and another.

“Mr. Oliver stop this right now”, the principal demanded as he stepped in between them, but Oliver kept pouring slaps above the principal until David in one swift movement jolted the principal aside, punched Oliver with all the strength he could muster and made for the door.

There was absolute commotion in school; it took almost half of the school staff to bounce Oliver out. Lectures were suspended as both teachers and students came out of their classes to see what the ruckus was all about. Oliver was still yelling like a wounded lion just at the principal’s office as the male staff tried to calm him down.

Meanwhile, most of David classmates led by Essien were on their way to the ground floor wager to know what was happening. They didn’t really need to bother themselves as they bumped into David who was apparently flying through the last flight of steps.

As soon as David explained what happened, his classmates went mad.

“I can’t believe it”, Essien said indignantly, after he heard what happened.

“He did this to you?” Naomi asked in disbelief as she ran her fingers over the visible hand marks on his left jaw.

From the balcony, they could still see Oliver gesticulating wildly at some of the male staffs and security team at the gate.

“Let them leave him to me”, Elvis said as he took the stance of a boxer and faced the direction of David’s stepfather.

“We’ll need the ambulance when I’m through with him”

“And I'm quite sure the only one who will be pulled into the ambulance will be you on a stretcher and your neck in a strap”, said Vivian as she walked down to the little gathering.

Most of the girls sniggered at Elvis who looked as if Vivian has casted one of Harry Potter’s Spell on him.

After the security team had managed to dismiss Oliver, the principal turned his attention to the classroom block. Everyone went back to their respective classes as teachers resumed lessons; no one would dare defy the principal when he is in that mood.

David’s supporters group had started to disperse when a JSSII student informed him that the principal wanted him.

David walked to the principal’s office for the second time that afternoon. This time, he was ushered a seat, Mr. Agbabowaye stood quietly at the window for a while before he finally spoke.

“Your mom told me that the relationship between you and your step dad was cold,” he said as he made for his seat, “but that seems to be an understatement.”

“What is going on?”

David stared at the desk for a while, he sighed as he started explaining the happenings of his family. It actually felt weird disclosing his family issues to someone who wasn’t a family member, but his principal was a very close friend to his biological dad, and he had already witnessed the episode that had played out before him some minutes ago, so he briefed him about everything in detail. When he was finished, he looked up at the principal whose face was that of a child who was forced to drink a cup of quinine.

“Why is your mom silent about all this?” He asked

“I don’t really know”, he replied, “She doesn’t want anyone to know that she’s having crisis in her home and coupled with the fact that you know ….. the relationship really embarrasses her.”

The principal looked very concern.

I understand, but that’s not an excuse, you know that.”

David nodded in affirmation.

“So how are you and your brother coping with this?” He asked

“We are both tired; mom has forbidden us from taking action.”

The principal sighed,

“You will have to let your family know, what about her brother?”

“I thought so, but…”

“No but”, the principal interjected “Let him know, okay?”

David didn’t respond, he knew how his mom will react if Uncle Sam was informed about her predicament.

The principal actually seemed to have read his thoughts.

“Don’t worry; it’s for her good”, he assured him.